Megaupload Founder Kim Schmitz Arrested and Cars Seized

Many long-time GTspirit readers and forum members will recognise the name Kim Schmitz as the two-time Gumball 3000 participant ‘Kimble’. Yesterday, the US Department of Justice asked the New Zealand authorities to arrest Kim, now known as Kim Dotcom, and his colleagues for large-scale copyright infringement. His website Megaupload.com was shut down and cars, cash, shotguns and artwork were seized from ten New Zealand homes.

The indictment states that Megaupload has caused copyright holders $ 500 million in lost revenue from pirated films, albums and other materials. The move comes just one day after several prominent websites such as Wikipedia, Reddit and Wired went ‘dark’ for 24 hours on Wednesday as a form of protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). SOPA aims to be the first legislative step to a ‘policed’ internet. Something internet users, bloggers and news outlets, including GTspirit, have rallied against.

Amongst the cars seized were three Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM’s, a Lamborghini LM002, a Maserati GranCabrio, a Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, a Mercedes-Benz C65 AMG and a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe. A number had typically Kim numberplates including a ‘GOOD’ and ‘EVIL’ Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM, a ‘GOD’ Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe, a ‘GUILTY’ Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG and a ‘HACKER’ Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG.

Kim had recently come out of hiding, a number of his cars were spotted in Europe last summer. He lived in Hong Kong and New Zealand and held dual citizen of Finland and Germany. He was arrested alongside two other German citizens and one Dutch citizen. Three others – another German, a Slovakian and an Estonian – are still wanted by law enforcement officers. Interestingly, the company CEO, Swizz Beats of Lotus fame is not named on the indictment.

The hacking group Anonymous reacted to the news almost instantly by launching one of their biggest attacks to date. They took down the Universal Music, RIAA (the record industry’s lobbying arm), MPAA (the movie industry’s lobbying arm), and Department of Justice websites.

This isn’t the first time Kim has been arrested by law authorities. Back 2002, Schmitz was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand and deported to Germany where he got an one year eight month sentence for insider-trading offences.